How to Make a DIY Statement Collar Blouse With Beautiful Embroidery

Alicia Yanson
by Alicia Yanson
9 Materials
$30
8 Hours
Medium

This beautiful cottagecore blouse features an oversized embroidered statement collar and cuffs. This DIY statement collar blouse can be worn for work or a special occasion with its gorgeous construction and delicate floral embroidery. Here's how to make it!

Tools and materials:

  • 2 yards of fabric 
  • 24 inches of white fabric for the collar and cuffs
  • Interfacing
  • Embroidery kit: needle, hoop, threads
  • Sewing machine
  • Scissors
  • Pins
  • Water-soluble pen for embroidery design
  • Blouse pattern
DIY statement collar blouse pattern

1. Cut out the pattern

Print the pattern. Lay the main fabric on a flat surface and pin it to the paper. Fold the fabric for cutting the back and sleeves to ensure symmetry.  


Cut out:

  • 2 front pieces
  • 2 sleeve pieces
  • 1 back piece
Pattern for the collar, ruffle, and cuff

In the white fabric, cut out:

  • 2 collar pieces
  • 1 ruffle piece (70 inches long)
  • 2 cuffs
  • 1-inch bias tape the same length as the collar
Marking on the sleeves

2. Transfer the markings

Transfer the front and back markings for the sleeves. 

Notches on the collar

Mark the notches on the collar.

Marking the front and back darts

Mark the front and back darts.

Cutting out interfacing pieces for the blouse

3. Add interfacing

Cut out interfacing for the button plackets, collar, and cuffs. 

Ironing interfacing onto the pattern pieces

Iron the interfacing to the button plackets and fold it to the inside. Iron interfacing to the collar and cuffs. Fold the ruffled collar strip in half lengthwise.

Pinning the darts ready to sew

4. Sew the darts

Fold all the darts and pin. Sew using a straight stitch.

Sewing the shoulder seams

5. Sew the shoulder seams

Place the back and 2 front pieces right sides together. Sew the shoulder seams. Always backstitch to lock in the seams. Add a zigzag stitch to prevent fraying.

Sewing a basting stitch along the sleeve cap

6. Sew the sleeves

Sew a basting stitch to the top of the sleeve cap and the bottom of the sleeve. Use the notches as a guide where to sew. Gather the threads to make a puff sleeve.

Pinning the sleeves to the bodice

Align the sleeves to the bodice. Place them right sides together and pin those points first. 


Pin the center and adjust the ruffles to fit the armhole. Then pin down the rest of the sleeve. 

Sewing the sleeves of the blouse

Sew it down at ½ an inch. Finish the raw edges with a zigzag stitch. Add a topstitch.

Sewing the side seams of the blouse

7. Sew the side seams

Place the front and back right sides together and sew up the side seams.

Finished blouse


Choosing colored thread for the embroidery

8. Embroidery

Choose the colors you want on the collar and cuffs. 

Drawing designs on the statement collar

Draw the design on the collar piece that has the interfacing with a water-soluble pen. I added embroidery to the cuffs as well. 

How to do embroidery

Secure the embroidery hoop. Watch the video starting at 5:36 all the way through to 8:27 where I give you extremely detailed directions on how I did the embroidery.

DIY statement collar with embroidery


How to make a statement collar

9. Make the collar

Sew a basting stitch to the edge of the strip of the ruffle. Hold the thread and gently pull the fabric until it starts ruffling. 

Ruffled fabric

It is harder to ruffle because of the folded fabric, but take your time. It will come together!

Pinning the ruffle to the embroidered piece

Pin the gathered ruffle evenly to the collar and sew it down. 

Pinning the collar ready to sew

Once the ruffles are placed, add the second collar piece. Pin it down and sew it at ½ an inch.

Statement collar

Flip it inside out.

Attaching the statement collar to the blouse

10. Attach the statement collar to the blouse

Place the collar on top and pin it in place. Baste stitch it down. 

Pinning bias tape to the statement collar

Pin the bias tape to the right side. Sew it at ¼ inch. 

How to sew a statement collar blouse

Bring the bias tape up and fold the button placket right sides together and sew the top edge to look like this. 

Statement collar blouse

Then flip it inside out to give this clean, professional finish.

Folding, pinning, and sewing the collar

Fold the bias tape in. Fold the seam allowance down and pin it to the fabric. Once it’s pinned, sew it down to finish the edge of the collar.

Sewing the cuffs for the blouse

11. Make the cuffs

Fold the cuffs in half. Sew the edges together to create a loop. 

Pulling the gathers to fit the cuff

Pull the basting stitch at the end of the sleeve until it fits the cuff. Align the non-interfaced part of the cuff to the inside of the sleeve so the right side of the cuff is pinned to the wrong side of the sleeve. Sew them together. 

Attaching the cuff to the blouse sleeve

Bring the cuff up. Fold the edge, fold it again, and pin it down. Sew the edge on the sleeve so the cute embroidered cuff is showing.

Making button plackets for the blouse

12. Make the button plackets

To make the button plackets, fold the fabric out ¼ inch, then fold it down one inch. 

Sewing the edge of the button placket

Pull the top edge inside and pin it. Sew the edge with a straight stitch.

Hemming the bottom of the blouse

Double hem the bottom by folding the edge in twice, pinning, and sewing in place.

Sewing buttonholes

Mark where you want the buttons to go. I used 5 buttons, 3 inches apart. Sew the button holes on the left button placket, placing them with a buttonhole stitch. 

Using a seam ripper to open the buttonholes

Use a seam ripper to cut them open. 

Hand-sewing buttons to the blouse

Align the buttons to the holes and hand sew them in.

DIY statement collar blouse

DIY statement collar blouse tutorial

How beautiful is this statement collar blouse? Let me know in the comments what you think about this classic blouse with its beautiful beautiful embroidered collar and cuffs.

Suggested materials:
  • 2 yards of fabric
  • 24 inches of white fabric for the collar and cuffs
  • Interfacing
See all materials

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